Shattered Dreams
by RedLovesSnakes
Summary: Someone on the team has died, and the one who it has effected most, must cope with it. Last chapter up.
1. Chapter 1

This story is different then any other one I have ever written. This is a twist of fate, and something very unexpected. Warning you may not like it (I didn't at first, but felt it was time for a twist)…. Either way please review, thank you.

* * *

Everyone was inside of the home. It was raining outside, as if planned. Almost everyone was teary eyed, and very upset. Hardly anyone was talking, and if they where it was in whispers. No one used codenames in fear of upsetting others, instead they called each other by their first names.

They knew that everything was forever changed, and this day in their lives would unfortunately stay with them forever. The wind and rain hit the windows softly. It was early in November, and no one was happy about the days that would follow this. Instead everyone dreaded it. All the Joe's where invited to the funeral, but only some got together afterwards.

No one knew what to say, what to do, or how to act. Some didn't know the full details behind the death, and although they wanted to know, no one knew how to ask. Anyone who was talking had cold conversations, and those who weren't questioned why they where there.

The house they where in was a restored older home, and on the outside was a sign that read, "American Dream Real Estate," and below it read "Sold." It was in a good/ pricy neighborhood, very good for a starter home. Most people would think whoever bought it should be very excited, which they where exactly 1 week, and 3 days ago.

Little did they know, they'd never get the chance to finish unpacking, get the new kitchen table they had been debating on for 5 days, and get that perfect beige sectional they wanted. They'd never get to finish painting the walls in the extra bedrooms, or built the deck in the back that they imagined in their minds. It seemed that all those dreams had been shattered in an instant, and that was so very true. Nothing would ever be the same, life wouldn't be so happy, and the days that would follow this would go by very slow. No one would admit this to that specific person this tragedy effected the most, but they already knew.

That person was upstairs, in the master bedroom, sitting in their walk-in closet, silently crying. They didn't know what to do, and tried to get the energy needed to stop crying, get up, and get through the rest of the day. However, they couldn't find it. No one had ever seen them cry, they were supposed to be strong. In fact during that dreadful day they didn't answer any phone calls, ignored the doorbell, and pretended as though it was all an awful nightmare. The next day changed that, they had to make funeral arrangements, cancel the wedding plans, and dive into an already low savings to pay for all of that. In their eyes their life, was already over, they didn't want to live anymore. If it was up to them, they would end their life right then and there. But one conversation replayed in their head each time the thought came up.

**3 Months Earlier, New York:**

After hours of showing their love to one another, the happy, engaged couple were lying down signaling to one another. It was mid afternoon, and still a bit sunny out.

_I think we should have the wedding here, love._

_Really? Why?_

_Because every girl dreams of getting married in a romantic place, like Niagara Falls._

_Whatever you want._

_You don't have an opinion?_

_No, as long as you don't turn into one of those bridezillas, I'm fine._

_I wont!_

_Alright then, we're all good._

_I know what our wedding song can be._

_Wedding song? _

_Yes wedding song. How about From This Moment by Shania Twain and that one guy._

_Isn't it Brian something?_

_Yea I think._

_Oh. That sounds good. _

"We need to have a talk."

_About? _

She had stopped signaling because of the depth of the conversation she was about to start.

"Well, we just need to be extra careful."

_With_?

"Our lives. What if something happened to one of us?"

Snake-Eyes stopped for a second. He didn't even think about that. Everyone in his family had died, his sword brother had left without a word, and all he had left was Scarlett.

_I wouldn't want to live without you, I couldn't….. I don't think I would._

"Don't say that!"

_You don't understand! All my life….. I've lost everything I've ever loved! If I lost you….. Life would serve no purpose!_

"What if it was the other way around? Huh, would you want me giving up?"

_No._

"Then?"

_What?_

"Promise me, that you will do whatever it takes to move one, because that's exactly what I'd do. It would be hard, and we will not want to, but……"

_I promise. Lets not talk about this anymore._

This often led to other memories, but before they could even think about them, a knock came at the door. Knowing that they had to stop hiding, they got up and reassured the person they were ok, and would be right out.


	2. Chapter 2

They then wiped their nose, and tried to hide their tears.

If you didn't know Shana you'd think that she was like any other unfortunate person, who lost a loved one. She was obviously sad, and would be for quite some time. However, those who knew her seen the little things that changed. For example, that shine in her blue eyes was now gone, in fact her eyes almost looked gray, she walked as if it took every muscle in her body to get along, and her skin tone no longer had that golden tint to it.

When she walked down the stairs, everyone in the room turned to look. She put her head down, and silently walked to the kitchen. She seen Stalker, and Flint there, she looked at them, and took a seat at one of the bar stools. She looked around at her beautiful kitchen, thinking about the kitchen table she'd never get, and looked out the sliding door window to her right, and started to cry, remembering the deck Snake-Eyes had promised. Stalker quickly went to comfort her, but couldn't hold back his own tears. Flint didn't know what to do, and left before his came.

Snake-Eyes was Stalkers best friend. He was the only person he'd tell his problems to, knowing that it would be between them. Stalker and Snake-Eyes had served together before Joe, in fact Stalker recruited him. He shook his head remembering Snake's first day, maybe one day he'd be able to laugh about it again, one day….. But not now. Scarlett picked her head back up, and looked at him. He took the seat next to her, and they both stared out the window.

"He promised me a deck. We said we'd invite you, and your family over for a barbeque. He had so many plans, so many dreams, and now….. None of them will ever happen."

"I'm so sorry Shana."

"Why is everyone calling me that?! Sorry, I didn't mean to get loud. I'm just tired of people…. Well you know."

"I know, everyone is calling me Lonzo."

She smiled faintly at that. Stalker noticed her smile, it wasn't the same, and he worried it never would be. Then as if he couldn't control it, a flashback hit him. Snake-Eye's first day:

**3 years earlier, April 22****nd****.**

"**Who's that?" Snake-Eyes asked. He had always been a rather shy guy, and he practically blushed, when he seen the beautiful red head training some troops.**

"**That? Oh that's Scarlett. Real name Shana O'Hara, she is freakin beast man! She could beat up more then half the guys she's training right now. Doesn't look like it though, beautiful girl. Makes me wish I wasn't engaged."**

"**Don't say that Stalker, you have a good women."**

"**I was kidding."**

"**Introduce me."**

"**Nah, you do that yourself."**

"**Please!"**

"**Are you really asking me to introduce you?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Are you sure?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Fine, but only because you're sure."**

**Stalker laughed in his head, thinking what a mistake Snake-Eyes just made.**

"**Scarlett!" Stalker shouted.**

"**Cant you see I'm training troops?" She stopped for a minute taking notice into Snake-Eyes.**

"**Well I have a new recruit you can add!"**

"**Stalker?! NO!" Snake-Eyes silently begged.**

"**His codename is Snake-Eyes, and he wants to join your drills."**

**Scarlett looked at Snake-Eyes up and down, he was good looking (she noted that twice), he was fit, but she didn't think he'd pass right off. Then she said:**

"**You want me to train him?"**

"**Yea."**

"**No, it's ok." Snake-Eyes cut in.**

"**Why? Have no faith in yourself? If that's the case, you probably wouldn't pass anyway."**

"**Don't be so sure Red, I've known him for quite some time, and I think you'd be impressed."**

**She looked at him again.**

"**Fine."**

**Stalker laughed. **

"**Show her what you got Snake's."**

"**Thanks….. Friend."**

"**You'll thank me later."**

"**Not now."**

**Stalker then took a seat to the side of the obstacle course, and watched. **

"**Ok….. Everyone this is our newest member of G.I Joe, Snake-Eyes. He will be joining us today, and we can show him how exercising is done here in Joe. Everyone to the starting line."**

**Snake-Eyes took of his black coat, and double knotted his combat boots. He looked up at the obstacle at hand, and did a real quick warm up.**

"**Ready, Set, Go!" Scarlett shouted. Then she watched as Snake-Eyes passed everyone up, flew through the obstacle course, and made it to the finish line without breaking a sweat. She laughed thinking, maybe he was just fast. Once all of the Joes where finished she called everyone in the gym.**

"**Ok, Snake-Eyes obviously took first. I challenge you."**

"**What?"**

"**You heard me. Hand to hand combat, right here, right now."**

"**Uhh… Yes ma'am."**

**She was shocked that he took her up on the offer so quickly. Before either one of them knew it they where fighting. He was extremely strong, and he was winning. With only 10 seconds left in the class, she tripped him, and he didn't even try to get up. Instead, he laid on the floor, and let her pin him down. Then class was over.**

**She got off, and he got himself back up. **

"**You let me win!"**

"**Do you not have any faith in yourself? You won."**

**She smiled at that, and from that day on they where inseparable.**

**Stalker put his head down, thinking about it. **

"**I think I should go say something to all of them."**

"**Like what?"**

"**Bye."**

"**Yea, you've had a long day."**

**She got up, and walked to the living room.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Scarlett asked for every ones attention and began:**

"**I'm sorry that I couldn't be with you guys throughout the day. Obviously, its hard. Umm… I never pictured this happening, I sometimes tell myself it's not. But, when I wake up in the morning….."**

**She stopped there, feeling the tears build up once again. She knew that these would most likely burn, because of all the crying she had done in the past couple of days. **

"**I'm sorry, I can't do this. Thank you all for coming."**

**She then made her way to the front door, and opened it.**

"**I'm sorry for your loss, he will be missed." Duke said.**

"**Thank you." Scarlett replied.**

"**I'm really sorry. If you need anything, please ask." Ace said.**

"**I will, thank you."**

"**I'm sorry." Flint blurted out, and exited quickly.**

"**Sorry Shana, he's taking it hard. Just know that Snakes' is in a better place." Lady Jaye said.**

"**What?" Scarlett asked her while she was making her way out. **

"**I'm sorry did I say something wrong?"**

"**No you didn't, you just said that my fiance is in a better place, right? In a better place! How could you say that?! He was fine here with me! We where going to have a perfect life with one another! But no! NO! He's dead, he got token from me, his life was cut short, and I'm left here alone! Now I have to function without him, now I have to fake a smile, now I have to put up with remarks like that! Do you know what it's like waking up alone…. Knowing it shouldn't be that way! Knowing that I should have him next to me! Knowing that all my dreams have been shattered?! No you don't, that's why you said what you said, because you don't know! No one here knows!"**

**The tears came pouring out, and they hurt. She ran up stairs, and Lady Jaye stood there shocked.**

"**She's just upset LJ, she didn't mean it." Breaker said from behind her.**

"**I know." Lady Jaye began to cry, and left. **

**Stalker made sure everyone was gone, and went upstairs to check on Scarlett. He knocked on the door twice.**

"**Yea?" Scarlett asked from behind the door.**

"**Everyone's gone. You want me to stay?"**

"**No I'm fine, I need to be alone. Thank you though."**

"**Alright, I'll lock up on my way out."**

**He locked up the house and left. He didn't want to leave her alone, but did as she wished.**

**Scarlett was lying down on her bed, holding on to Snake-Eyes pillow. Then she whispered to herself:**

"**I never imagined anything like this happening to us. I thought you where so strong you'd make it through anything, I don't want to accept that your never coming home, I don't want to think of the holidays that will come without you, I don't want to walk around the pit not seeing you, I don't want to sleep alone, I don't want to live without you. Everything I do, everything I see…… reminds me of you. I'm sorry for being weak." **

**She got up from her bed and went to the closet. She got the box that was sent from Joe. Inside was all of Snake-Eyes' gear. She opened it and picked it all up, and held it close to her. Then she got up and looked at his tux, knowing he'd never get to wear it. She then looked at her dress, and down at her finger. She had her ring on, and looked at the word engraved: "Forever." She didn't like it when she first read it, but now, she knew it was only word that could explain that promise. She lifted her head up to ceiling, and before the memories came soaking in, something once again interrupted it. It was the phone, she went to her bedroom, and picked it up.**

"**Hello?"**

"………"

"**Hello?"**


	4. Chapter 4

**The soft rain from earlier that day had turned into a storm, so the phone line cut. She hung up, happy that it did, because she wasn't in a mood to talk to anyone. She laid on her bed, touching the blanket. Although she wanted to get some sleep, she knew she wouldn't be able to. So she got up and went downstairs. **

**While reaching the bottom of the stairs, Scarlett looked at the door. She remembered the day they got their keys to their home, how happy they where, how full of hope.**

**1 week and 3 days earlier:**

"Oh my goodness love! We have our own house!" Scarlett practically screamed, as they made their way up to the door of their new home.

Snake-Eyes just smiled, and held her hand as he unlocked the door. The home was beautiful…. All they ever wanted and more. It was a 2 story restored home, with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, office, family room, living room, dining room, and kitchen. It was more then what they needed, but a steal for the price they got it for.

"Look! Love, its finally ours!"

_I know…. Man… this is pretty big._

"Duh!"

_I know but… it seems even bigger…_

"It grew over night." They both laughed at that. Snake-Eyes put his head down, as if he was embarrassed.

"Just picking on you!"

_Yea, well you made me feel like an idiot._

"I love you."

_I love you too. But we have a problem._

"What is that?"

_We have no furniture… at all._

"That's not a problem, we don't need it." She smiled at him.

_Ok that's enough picking on me._

She stuck her tongue out at him, and he ran after her. He eventually got her, and when he did he picked her up, and took her upstairs. He then opened the door to their master bedroom, and threw her on the new bed he bought.

"How? What? When?!"

_Friday, I got the keys earlier today and raced to put it up. _

"It's HUGE! The bedding is so nice!"

_It's a cal-king, and yes… I have good taste._

"I can tell, look who you're marrying."

They laughed, and he jumped on with her.

When she was done thinking of that memory…. She thought of a darker one, one that would haunt her forever.

**5 days earlier:**

"Wakey, wakey Snakey."

He looked at Scarlett weird, and laughed.

_What? Wackey, wackey Snakey?_

"Yea! Don't you like it?"

_No, not at all. Nah I'm kidding, I don't care._

"I would."

_Dang… I don't want to go to base._

"You have to, just go help Duke put some fear in that new kid."

_I can't believe he's so disrespectful. Why don't they just get rid of him?_

"He has potential.'

_Alright. Whatever._

"What do you want for breakfast?"

_Something I can take on the go._

"Ok, love."

He got up, showered, got dressed, and went downstairs.

_No time, I'll eat when I get home, it shouldn't take long._

"Ok."

He gave her a kiss, and left. She waited, waited, and waited. The base was less then 30 minutes away, and almost 4 hours had passed. Right when she was about to call the base, she heard a knock at the door.

"Good afternoon, sir." Scarlett said. Hawk stood looking at her with teary eyes, with both Duke and Flint beside him. She could tell he had been crying, and wondered why.

"Shana, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, but Snake-Eyes… died on his way to the base this morning."

She didn't believe what she was hearing… she didn't want to. All she did was repeat no. She shook her head, and felt everything get dizzy. She looked at Flint, and seen that he had his head down while crying, and she knew it was true.

"Oh my god… no.. no.. NO.. NO! NO!" She screamed. Then fell to the floor, and sobbed. When they tried to touch her she shouted at them to leave her alone.

Scarlett felt the tears pouring down again. She wiped them, and forgot why she even went down stairs.

The actual cause of death was found out 2 days later, a blood vessel in his brain had suddenly burst. The doctor on the phone told her it could happen to anyone at anytime.

She made her way back up, and went to her closet. She looked at her dress, and took it off the hanger, and put it on. She went to the bathroom, and looked at it. She seen the tears come again, and let them. When she let them come, more came, and more, until she fell to the floor, and couldn't stop them.

"I just cant believe it." She cried to herself, then as if he was there sitting in front of her, she started talking to him. "In my mind I was going to wake up every morning to your sweet face, to your arms around me. I thought that we would spend all the time that we could together, and then… in one instant… all of those hopes and dreams where token away from me. I knew you really loved me, and that you wouldn't put anything else above me…. I can still feel your love for me in my heart. You where my best friend, and now your gone. Now here I am left all alone, trying to make sense of it all. Why did you get taken away from me? I thought we said forever….. Now I'll never know." She stopped and looked up, trying to stop the tears, then she continued. "You meant everything. Everyday was special, all because of you. You where all I ever needed, and I just want you to know… that life couldn't have been better."

She picked herself up, and looked around… not knowing what to do.


End file.
